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Cloud Strife
Cloud Strife is the main protagonist in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, appearing as the main protagonist in both Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. He also appears in the spin-off games Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- and Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- as a supporting character. An arrogant and proud swordsman at first, Cloud believes himself to be a member of an elite warrior unit called SOLDIER. He discovers the memories of who he was are not his own and, with the help of his friends, learns there is more to being a hero than possessing physical strength and fame. In Final Fantasy Appearance and Personality Cloud stands at 5'7" with a lean build. His blond hair is spiked, and in Final Fantasy VII features one particularly large spike. Cloud's spiked hair has become one of the trademarks of his appearance, although in later appearances the spikes have been toned down. Cloud has blue eyes, which glow due to the Mako flowing through his body. Because "Mako eyes" are an icon of SOLDIER, Cloud is often mistaken as one. His weapon is the Buster Sword, a massive sword several feet long which he wields in most of his appearances. Cloud's other trademark weapon is a set of Fusion Swords which he uses in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. The set consists of six individual interconnecting swords that form a larger sword similar in shape and size to the Buster Sword. Cloud's outfit in Final Fantasy VII, is the standard uniform for 1st Class SOLDIER: indigo pants with a sleeveless shirt, and a belt. Cloud wears brown boots and gauntlets with a pauldron over his left shoulder. This is the uniform he wears for most of his other appearances, with slight variations. In Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, Cloud wears the uniform of a Shinra infantryman of blue clothing with several belts and straps and a green-gray piece of cloth around the collar. He wears his helmet to hide his identity at times. After he gains the SOLDIER 1st class uniform his appearance is the same as in Final Fantasy VII, albeit with both shoulder pauldrons in-tact and the SOLDIER logo as it is in Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-. In Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Cloud's clothing design was made with fighting in mind, and the concept began with a black robe and was restructured into the final version seen in the film. Cloud's hair was changed both to show the passage of time since Final Fantasy VII, and to be more realistic. He wears a high collar sleeveless black shirt, black pants and boots, and black cloth covering his left leg and arm; the cloth on his arm hides his Geostigma symptoms. Cloud gains a new pauldron, and his chest is covered by two straps, held in place by a badge representing Fenrir, the animal that has come to be associated with him. Like the rest of the party, he wears a pink ribbon around his left arm in remembrance of Aerith Gainsborough, though it is hidden for most of the movie due to his black cloth. In Kingdom Hearts, Cloud's costume was designed to resemble that of Vincent Valentine. He wears a tattered red cloak with dark blue pants and a shirt and brown boots. The costume features many crossing belts as well as gloves, the left of which has golden trimmings, almost like a claw. Cloud's most distinctive trait in this appearance is a demonic black wing protruding from his left shoulder, symbolizing both his connection to Sephiroth, and the dark powers he is using. The costume can be obtained as DLC in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy. In Kingdom Hearts II, Cloud is identical to his appearance in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, save that his new sword is loosely bound as the Buster Sword was in Kingdom Hearts. "I pity you. You just don't get it at all... there's not a thing I don't cherish!" —Cloud to Sephiroth in Advent Children In Final Fantasy VII, due to the combined effects of Mako poisoning and the influence of Jenova's cells in his body, Cloud unknowingly holds a fake persona created by the Jenova cells mixing his memories of Zack's personality with the somewhat cocky and selfish attitude he believes a SOLDIER 1st Class would have. After restoring his original personality, Cloud shows genuine concern for the Planet's fate, a sharp contrast to his persona at the start of the game where he claimed he did not care and only agreed to help AVALANCHE for the right price. In Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and many related appearances, Cloud is a somber and dark character, tormented by guilt over what he perceives as his past failings to save those he cares about. The final straw was when he contracted the terminal Geostigma plague, adding to his feelings of helplessness. Distancing from his friends and living alone, Cloud tries to keep his affliction secret. Cloud faces his past both metaphorically and literally, and with the shows of loyalty from the friends he tried so hard to let go he comes to forgive himself and moves on. It is unclear what this ultimately means in terms of his personality and lifestyle. In Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, Cloud is shy, but more upbeat person who idolizes Zack and Sephiroth, but even after being betrayed by his idol he does not hesitate to avenge. Despite the feelings he may have, Cloud remains steadfastly loyal and true to those he cares about and is driven to protect them, going as far as to hide his pain and emotions so he would not worry them. His selfless and kind nature lets him overcome Sephiroth time and again. Cloud has a lighter side, willingly crossdressing as a woman to save Tifa from Don Corneo's mansion. He also has a dry, ironic wit in Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-. Overall, while he has a moody demeanor, his personality is not as brooding as that of Vincent Valentine. Cloud suffers from motion sickness that is seemingly cured during the period when Cloud upholds his fake SOLDIER persona, but returns when his true self is restored, although his ability to ride the Fenrir on delivery business suggests his motion sickness has since improved. 'Story' "Then later... I began to think I was different... that I was different from those immature kids." —Cloud talking to Tifa about his childhood Cloud was born in the mountain village of Nibelheim, and was neighbors with Tifa Lockhart. His father died when he was young and he was raised by his mother. Cloud grew up isolated from the rest of the village children, feeling himself better than them, though it is implied he longed for their friendship. He developed a crush on Tifa, but hated her friends. Although the two consider each other (and are considered by others) to be childhood friends, by Tifa's own account they were not close growing up, despite him having been her neighbor. When Cloud was nine, Tifa's mother died, and Tifa insisted she could meet her again by crossing Mt. Nibel. Cloud followed, and when Tifa was injured the townsfolk believed the expedition up the mountain to be Cloud's idea, and Tifa's father forbade Cloud from approaching her. Cloud blamed himself thinking it was his weakness he failed to save her. Cloud developed an anger problem, often getting into fights, but in spite of this he was still a quiet kid who rarely had much to do with the other kids in the village. At the age of thirteen Cloud learned of Sephiroth and his exploits. Resolving to become a hero like him Cloud decided to set out and join SOLDIER. He called Tifa out to the water tower to tell her about his departure, hoping to impress her. Upon her request he promised to save her if she ever found herself in trouble. The following spring, he left for Midgar in pursuit of his goal. Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-/Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII "If only I were SOLDIER..." —Cloud talking to Zack in Nibelheim Cloud's dreams are cut short. Despite his bravado, Cloud is unable to make it into SOLDIER and becomes an ordinary Shinra infantryman. On June 28th, 0001, Cloud is among those ordered to protect Professor Rayleigh in Midgar from the insurgency organization AVALANCHE. Though he is unsuccessful, their lives are saved by the Player Turk. During this incident, Cloud shows off impressive sword skills for a regular infantryman. Later, in Autumn while working for Shinra he meets a first-class SOLDIER named Zack Fair in Modeoheim, and the two become friends after learning they are both "backwater experts". When he and Zack infiltrate a Mako Excavation Facility on the way to Modeoheim, they encounter Genesis Rhapsodos and Dr. Hollander. When Hollander attempts to escape, Cloud is briefly successful in capturing him. Hollander breaks free of Cloud's grip and Cloud gives pursuit, but both he and Tseng, leader of the Turks, are taken down by Angeal Hewley. Zack and Cloud met again on September 0002, while protecting Junon from Genesis's attack. On September 22nd, 0002, Cloud returns to Nibelheim along with Zack and Sephiroth to investigate a damaged Mako Reactor on Mt. Nibel and Tifa is to act as their guide. Feeling embarrassed of his failure to join SOLDIER, Cloud hides his identity from the townspeople, and especially Tifa, by always wearing his helmet. He does reveal himself to his mother and stays at his old house for a while, his mother questioning him of his new life with Shinra. When the expedition reaches the reactor, Sephiroth discovers Professor Hojo's failed experiments with Mako soldiers, as well as where Shinra had interred Jenova, who Sephiroth mistakenly believes to be his mother. Cloud is knocked out by Genesis and is helped back into town by Tifa. When Cloud regains consciousness he expresses anger at not being strong enough. Falling into madness, Sephiroth immerses himself in Professor Gast Faremis's writings and discovers his dark past. He comes out from the Shinra Manor basement on October 1st and sets about destroying the village. Cloud witnesses his mother's death in the ensuing fire and rushes to the reactor to confront Sephiroth where he finds both a wounded Tifa and a barely conscious Zack. Cloud picks up Zack's Buster Sword, catching Sephiroth off guard in the reactor core and impaling him. Cloud returns to attend to Tifa. Sephiroth, badly wounded, emerges from the reactor core, and when Cloud attacks again, Sephiroth stabs him with the Masamune. Cloud summons previously unknown strength and uses the katana as a lever to hurl Sephiroth into the Mako pit below, and then collapses. Cloud and Zack become Professor Hojo's test subjects. Injecting them with Jenova's cells and exposing them to Mako, Hojo attempts to test his Jenova Reunion Theory and turns them into Sephiroth Clones. Since Zack was in SOLDIER and had gone through a similar process, his body resists the experiments, but Cloud's body succumbs and he develops a severe case of Mako poisoning. Hojo labels the two as failures, places them in a cryogenic sleeping state and leaves them in their pods in the Shinra Mansion basement. Four years later (December 19th, 0006), Zack breaks out of his confinement and helps a comatose Cloud escape, giving him a SOLDIER uniform to wear because his old clothes are soaked with Mako. Due to the experiments, Cloud is in a weak and delirious state. As they escape, Zack speaks continuously to the unresponsive Cloud about his life and his plans for both of them to become mercenaries in Midgar. Zack carries the comatose Cloud around, and though Cloud takes no part in the events, is present when Zack defeats Genesis. After almost a year of running, the pair arrive outside Midgar in September 0007. The Shinra forces catch up and Zack fights back to defend both Cloud and himself against overwhelming numbers. Zack is gunned down, and Cloud is left for dead after the soldiers see him in his vegetative state. Cloud crawls over Zack who entrusts the Buster Sword to Cloud, and tells him his legacy will live on inside Cloud, before dying. Buster Sword in hand, Cloud trudges off towards Midgar. In the Sector 7 train station, Cloud undergoes a radical transformation due to the combined trauma caused by the Nibelheim incident, his Mako poisoning, and witnessing Zack's death. Cloud impresses Zack's memories and fighting abilities into his own, along with Tifa's memories of him and his own ideal image of himself as a SOLDIER, creating a new set of memories with an accompanying persona. What emerges in Cloud's mind is a reality in which he successfully joined SOLDIER and was Sephiroth's partner -- Zack did not exist -- and in most of Cloud's twisted memories he takes Zack's place. Cloud presents himself in Midgar as a former First Class SOLDIER, now a mercenary for hire. Final Fantasy VII "It's not my problem. The only thing I care about is finishin' this job before security and the Roboguards come." —Cloud about AVALANCHE's mission to blow up the Sector 1 Reactor. Cloud is found by Tifa, who is now a member of the anti-Shinra terrorist group AVALANCHE, along with Barret Wallace. Tifa, perplexed by oddities she notices in him, requests Cloud help AVALANCHE. Cloud joins AVALANCHE to attack the Sector 1 Reactor on December 9th, and the mission is a success. Claiming he does not care about the Planet and is only working for money, Cloud attempts to walk out after returning to AVALANCHE hideout in Tifa's 7th Heaven bar, but Tifa reminds Cloud of the promise he made to her after deciding to join SOLDIER. After blowing up the Sector 5 Reactor, Cloud gets separated from the others by falling into the Sector 5 Church where Aeris Gainsborough grows flowers. He agrees to become her bodyguard in exchange for one date. While Cloud is absent, Tifa enters a kind of "dating service" with the prize being a night with Don Corneo to get information out of him. Cloud and Aeris, after disguising Cloud as a woman, attempt to rescue her, after which the Don admits Shinra has found out AVALANCHE's base of operations. To crush AVALANCHE, Shinra drops the plate over Sector 7 of Midgar, crushing the entire area; AVALANCHE members Jessie, Biggs and Wedge are killed trying to stop them, and Aeris is captured taking Barret's daughter Marlene to safety. Cloud leads an attack on Shinra Headquarters to rescue her where he meets with Red XIII, and sees Jenova's headless remains. The group is captured and imprisoned and during the night Cloud awakens to find the prison doors open and the guards slaughtered. He, Aeris, Barret, Tifa, and Red XIII follow a blood trail to the top floor and find President Shinra impaled on Sephiroth's sword. Cloud fights briefly with the new head of Shinra, Rufus Shinra, and escapes from Midgar on a Hardy-Daytona motorcycle, the others riding alongside in a pickup. The group stays at an inn outside Midgar in Kalm where Cloud tells his version of what happened on the day Nibelheim was burned, with himself in Zack's place and Zack no longer present. Although Tifa knows the story is not true, she remains silent. The next day the group sets out to track Sephiroth down, going through the Mythril Mine where the Turks reveal Sephiroth is headed to Junon. Cloud and the group sneak into Junon and a cargo ship bound for Costa del Sol. The journey to find Sephiroth leads them through North Corel and the Gold Saucer, where the manager Dio gives Cloud and his friends a buggy to assist them in their travels and the robot Cait Sith joins their cause. The buggy breaks down, forcing the group to stay at Red XIII's hometown Cosmo Canyon, where the Elder Bugenhagen reveals critical information about the Planet and the Lifestream and the negative effects Shinra's drilling for Mako is having on them. When the group reaches Nibelheim they find the town rebuilt, and inhabited by villagers who have no recollection of either Cloud or Tifa or the town ever having been burned down. In the Shinra Mansion basement Sephiroth appears and alludes to a "reunion" he feels Cloud should attend. Cloud and the group traverse Mt. Nibel and go to Rocket Town where they attempt to steal Cid Highwind's plane, only to have it shot down by Shinra soldiers. Adding Cid to their roster of allies, the group returns to the Gold Saucer and claims the Keystone from Dio. Believing the Keystone to be pivotal to finding out what Sephiroth is planning, Cloud and the group stay the night when the trolley to the park breaks down. Cait Sith, who turns out to be a Shinra spy, steals the Keystone and turns it over to Tseng of the Turks. Traveling to the Temple of the Ancients, Tseng is found wounded by Sephiroth, and he returns the Keystone. In the heart of the temple Cloud finds Sephiroth, who reveals his plan to call the ultimate black magic, Meteor, to deal a critical wound to the Planet. The Lifestream will emerge to heal it, and Sephiroth will absorb its energy, becoming a god. Sephiroth leaves as Cloud discovers the temple itself is the Black Materia. Cait Sith sacrifices himself to get it, but Sephiroth returns, and because Cloud had been injected with Jenova cells, Sephiroth has control over Cloud, and he hands over the Black Materia. Cloud goes berserk and attacks Aeris, but his friends knock him out. While unconscious Aeris appears to Cloud in a dream claiming only she can stop Sephiroth. When Cloud regains consciousness, Barret and Tifa tell him Aeris has left, and Cloud resolves to follow her to find the truth behind her words. Cloud and company pursue Aeris through the Sleeping Forest to the Forgotten Capital. He finds her praying on an altar in the center of the city's underground complex, but takes up the Buster Sword and attempts to attack her, his mind under Sephiroth's control. Stopping himself in the nick of time when his allies shout at him to stop, Cloud watches as Sephiroth descends from above the altar and impales Aeris, killing her. Her death enrages Cloud, but he is unable to chase after Sephiroth as he throws another piece of Jenova at them and a fight commences. Afterward, the party mourns Aeris's passing as Cloud puts her body to rest in the lake. Cloud reveals to the party he has been under Sephiroth's control, and may become controlled again, asking his allies to stay with him despite this. Arriving at the North Crater, Cloud momentarily regains the Black Materia and gives it to a party member as he does not trust himself. They find Northern Cave where Sephiroth appears and shows Cloud a partial vision of what really happened at Nibelheim, revealing Zack's presence in his stead but not Cloud's true part in the events. Shinra arrives and Professor Hojo reveals his Jenova Reunion Theory that Cloud is a part of. Cloud comes to believe he was entirely created by Hojo and even his name and memories of being Tifa's childhood friend belong to someone else. The shock of his fabricated past, combined with Hojo's revelations and accusations, shatter Cloud's mind. Using an illusion to trick the party member with the Black Materia into coming to Cloud's aid, Sephiroth has Cloud take it back and he hands it to Sephiroth, who activates it, summoning Meteor. After Cloud apologizes to Tifa for being a fake persona, the crater shakes and Cloud falls into the Lifestream. Surfacing at Mideel approximately a week later, Cloud has been subjected to intense Mako poisoning within the Lifestream, leaving him paralyzed and incoherent. Tifa stays to care for him while the rest of the party fights Shinra, who is risking a dangerous attempt to stop the Meteor now approaching the Planet. Ultimate Weapon attacks Mideel, and Tifa and Cloud fall into the Lifestream and into Cloud's Subconscious. Tifa helps Cloud piece back together the true memories of his childhood by comparing their memories to find out which are true, while Tifa encourages Cloud to believe in his own existence. Restored to his true self, Cloud resumes command of the party. With Bugenhagen's guidance, they discover Aeris had summoned Holy before Sephiroth killed her; the ultimate white magic, it could stop Meteor, but Sephiroth is holding it back. After taking their revenge upon the Shinra for all the wrongs the company has wrought, the group lands in the North Crater and descends through the Northern Cave to the depths of the Planet to confront Sephiroth. After the party defeats Sephiroth's new god-like form, his mind is sent back into the Lifestream. Cloud, sensing Sephiroth is not dead, follows him mentally into the Lifestream and defeats Sephiroth in a final duel of will. Returned to his body Cloud and the party escape the crater on the Highwind moments before Holy emerges to destroy Meteor. The proximity of Meteor causes Holy to hold back its full power, until Aeris commands the Lifestream to push Meteor back so that Holy may unleash its full power to destroy Meteor and save the Planet. Novellas In On the Way to a Smile: Case of Tifa, Cloud and Tifa build a new life together in the new city on Midgar's outskirts, called Edge. Cloud takes up a job as a delivery boy via his new business, the Strife Delivery Service. One day while visiting Aerith's ruined church, a recently orphaned boy, Denzel, whose family was killed when the Sector 7 plate fell, finds Cloud's cellphone on his motorcycle. After Denzel attempts to call his home in Sector 7 and receives an error message, he calls 7th Heaven which he finds in Cloud's recent call log. Tifa picks up and asks Denzel why he has Cloud's cellphone. Denzel begins to cry and collapses from his Geostigma. When Cloud discovers Denzel, he takes him home to live with him, Marlene, and Tifa. Although their new life as a family is happy, Cloud becomes insular. He admits to Tifa his problems are because "you can't reclaim lost lives", referring to his perceived guilt in the deaths of Aerith and Zack. As the novella ends, Cloud moves out of their home and into the Sector 5 Church. In Case of the Lifestream, Cloud is mentioned as being the core of Sephiroth's being. By focusing on his hatred of Cloud, Sephiroth avoids dissolution in the Lifestream, and believes Cloud's memories of him allow him to survive and be revived. Aerith thinks of Cloud during her attempts to battle Sephiroth's influence, resolving to contact him and help him fight Sephiroth's infection on the Lifestream at the source - the plague Geostigma. Cloud has a few mentions in Hoshi wo Meguru Otome, a story focusing on Aerith. Aerith philosophizes around the Lifestream, and contemplates her decision to leave Cloud. She recalls Cloud's personality traits which were created by Cloud impressing Zack's memories into his own, and conjures Zack's spirit to her. Aerith protects Tifa's mind from Mako poisoning when she and Cloud fall into the Lifestream, and when Cloud defeats Sephiroth, she helps him return to his body. In Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks -The Kids Are Alright-, needing fuel for his truck, Evan calls Strife Delivery Service from the phone in Dr. Drake's office and talks briefly with Denzel to arrange a meeting with Cloud. While waiting, Dr. Drake discusses a book he's reading, which details the experiments conducted on Jenova by the Shinra Science Department. When Cloud arrives, he informs Evan that if he wants to buy fuel, there are three sources: the remnants of the Shinra Company, the World Regenesis Organization, and Don Corneo of Wall Market. Evan explains he's going to travel to Nibelheim to find a missing SOLDIER, and Cloud tells him to ask about the village at 7th Heaven. There he speaks to Tifa Lockhart, who reluctantly tells him the route to Nibelheim. Evan explains he's looking for his mother, and it's revealed she was pictured in the photograph of Gould, and the man who gave the photo to Tyran Arde was actually Nick Foley. Advent Children/Advent Children Complete "I'm not fit to help anyone. Not my family. Not my friends. Nobody." —Cloud in Advent Children Cloud left to look for a cure for Denzel's Geostigma and is infected himself due to his Jenova cells. Cloud falls into a cycle of guilt and depression, and so avoids calls from his friends. In 0009, two years after the events of Final Fantasy VII, Cloud receives a call from Tifa that Reno has a job for him, and he is attacked by a mysterious trio of young men, three manifestations of Sephiroth's consciousness. In Healen Lodge Cloud is surprised to find Rufus alive and suffering from Geostigma. The president offers Cloud to join them to fight the trio, led by Kadaj. Cloud rejects the offer after Reno brings up the idea of rebuilding Shinra. The three remnants kidnap children with Geostigma, intending to have the children lead them to Jenova's lost head. Although unsure if he should fight, Cloud goes to the Forgotten Capital after encouragement from Tifa and the Turks. On the way, he is visited by an apparition of Aerith, in which he declares he is searching for forgiveness. Upon seeing Denzel and the other children under Kadaj's control, Cloud confronts the trio but finds himself outmatched and is rescued by Vincent Valentine, who tells him about the true nature of Geostigma - a plague caused by Jenova's cells. Marlene runs into Cloud's arms worried about what had happened to Denzel but refusing to go home when Cloud asks Vincent to take her. Giving much thought about the conversations he previously had with his friends, Cloud resolves to take Marlene home and confront Kadaj. Back in Edge, Kadaj threatens Rufus and summons Bahamut SIN to attack the city. After Cloud drops Marlene off at the bar where she tells him not to give up, he finds the strength to take up arms again. After rescuing Tifa and Denzel he defeats Bahamut SIN with help from his old allies. He takes on Loz and Yazoo while chasing Kadaj through the highway, and slices their weapons (and Loz's bike) in half. Loz and Yazoo are seemingly killed in the explosion set by Reno and Rude during the chase. Confronting Kadaj the battle takes Cloud back to Aerith's church, where the Lifestream-infused water cures him of Geostigma. Cloud battles Kadaj once more and prevails, but the remnant absorbs Jenova's cells and Sephiroth is reborn. The ensuing battle at the ruins of the Shinra Building nearly kills Cloud, but Sephiroth makes the mistake of asking what is most important to Cloud and how he can take that away from him. Inspired by thoughts of his friends, living and dead, Cloud regains his strength and overwhelms Sephiroth with "Omnislash Version 5". Defeated, Sephiroth dissipates, leaving a dying Kadaj in his place. Loz and Yazoo set off a kamikaze explosion that apparently kills all three of them. However, Cloud is healed by Aerith's intervention, reawakening in the pool that now occupies the church. After helping Denzel into the Lifestream-infused water in the church to cure his Geostigma, Cloud sees apparitions of Aerith and Zack near the doorway. Before they leave, Aerith's final words ensure Cloud will be all right. He replies that he will, because he knows he is not alone anymore. In Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, the climax of Cloud's battle with Sephiroth is more brutal. Zack appears to Cloud and speaks to him, giving him the strength to keep fighting, finishing off Sephiroth with a longer variation of "Omnislash Version 5". After everything is over, the newly polished Buster Sword is moved to Aerith's church from the hill Zack died on, and the hill has a grove of yellow flowers. Denzel asks if the place is a grave, to which Cloud responds it is not; it is the place where a hero began his journey. Reminiscence In a DVD extra, Cloud is on a regular work day making deliveries, while taking calls from his friends. One call is from Vincent Valentine, who has recently purchased a phone and asks Cloud to tell Yuffie that she has no right to call him. Cloud makes a run to Barret's place and receives three packages: one for Marlene, one for Denzel, and a "Closed for Business" sign from Yuffie, who has been trying to get a hold of him. The last call is to Tifa, asking her to close the bar the next day, hinting he would be taking the family (Tifa, Marlene and Denzel) out. Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII One year later (0010), Cloud is not seen during the attack on Edge (assumed to have spirited away Denzel and Marlene). He later assists the World Regenesis Organization and Vincent Valentine against the threat of Omega and Deepground. He leads the ground assault on Midgar, facing Rosso the Crimson and he and the others aid Vincent to defeat Omega. In Kingdom Hearts 'Story' Kingdom Hearts Cloud first makes his appearance in the Olympus Coliseum, striking a deal with Hades: if Cloud eliminates Hercules in battle, Hades will lead him to his nemesis Sephiroth. However, Cloud also has to fight Sora, so that he may move on to Hercules in the preliminaries rankings. After their battle, Cloud is either defeated, or comes out victorious, but refrains from killing Sora. The outcome of the fight does not affect the storyline, and the only reward for winning are the 80 experience points rewarded. However, as Cloud does not kill Sora, the results are not favorable for Hades; forcing him to summon Cerberus. The three-headed beast and guardian of the Underworld catches Cloud off-guard, pinning him to the ground. At this point, Hercules comes to the rescue, defending the unconscious Cloud. Sora then moves in to finish the battle, giving Hercules the chance to take Cloud to safety. Afterwards, Cloud waits at the entrance to the Coliseum, deep in thought. Sora asks him why Cloud worked for someone as shady as Hades, and Cloud replies that he was looking for someone, and tried to use the darkness to his advantage, but failed. He admits that he fell into darkness, and couldn't find the light. But Sora comforts him, saying that he too is searching for his light. Cloud then grants Sora the Sonic Blade ability, and walks off, but not before Sora offers a re-match. Cloud confidently says he'll pass, but later in the game, he can be fought in certain cups at the Olympus Coliseum. Cloud eventually manages to find Sephiroth in Kingdom Hearts Final Mix. Cloud manages to locate Sephiroth in the Coliseum, and both express that they have been searching for each other. Cloud also feels that in order to awaken from his nightmare, he has to defeat his darkness; namely, Sephiroth. Sephiroth tries to convince him to turn to that darkness, but Cloud refuses, and the two battle. The outcome of the battle is unknown. During the end credits, Cloud is led by Cid to Hollow Bastion, and reunites with Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie in the Library. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Cloud plays a much more important role in Chain of Memories. It is his plot that runs the course of him being an anti-hero. Cloud once again appears in the Coliseum, constructed from Sora's memories. Again, he serves as a mercenary for Hades. However, Cloud is working for Hades to regain his lost memories, not to find Sephiroth. Hades promises to help him, but only if Cloud competes in the games and kills Hercules. Completely ignoring Sora, Cloud confronts Hercules. However, Cloud only manages to wear Hercules down. Hades, no longer having any use for Cloud, fires him and knocks him out. Hades then attempts to kill Hercules on his own now that he is exhausted. However, Sora interferes and defeats the God of the Underworld. After the battle, Cloud wakes up. He apologizes for his actions. Sora again comforts him, saying that the important memories are never truly gone. Sora also says that even the tiniest thing can help a person remember things they thought they had forgotten. Cloud shows his gratitude for Sora's help by granting him the Cloud card. However, he declines Sora's offer of joining them Kingdom Hearts II Cloud appears once again in Hollow Bastion, garbed in his Advent Children attire and replacing the Buster Sword with the First Tsurugi from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. He reveals to Sora that he is seeking to defeat his darkness, which is embodied by Sephiroth. He asks Sora to help him, but also warns him that Sephiroth will try and turn Sora to the darkness. During their meeting, Aerith also speaks to him. Not wanting her to follow him, he promises her that no matter how far he goes, he will always come back to Hollow Bastion. Though Aerith initially feels that he doesn't seem to be so sure, she is in the end confident in him. Cloud also aids the residents of Hollow Bastion in defending against the Heartless invasion. He and Leon are seen at the Ravine Trail, back to back with their swords raised as Heartless surround them. The two banter playfully back and forth, then proceed to fend off the Heartless. However, as he fights, he ends up separated from Leon, and Sephiroth makes his appearance. Cloud expresses his belief that once Sephiroth is defeated, his darkness will go away. However, Sephiroth reminds Cloud of his dark past, though it is not elaborated on. Cloud denies it, saying that Sephiroth doesn't know him, but the winged being says otherwise: "I know. Because...I am you". Tifa, who had been searching fervently for Cloud, also arrives. However, her presence causes Cloud to see the light, making him wince. Sephiroth then vanishes, and Cloud runs off before Tifa can get to him. Cloud is then seen with Leon again who is worried about Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Cloud tells him to relax because those three aren't going down that easily. He also tells him before leaving that Sora is a lucky kid. After the 1000 Heartless battle, Cloud keeps at a distance from the others and avoids fighting the Heartless from Space Paranoids, knowing that his friends have enough strength to fend off the MCP's tricks. After the MCP is defeated, he is seen once again with Leon when Tron shows them a sight of when their city was first built, and so reminded everyone of its true name. Cloud, still searching for Sephiroth, can be found in the town center after this. Sora, having just fought Sephiroth, reveals that he is at the Dark Depths. Cloud then goes off to settle the score. Sora manages to get to Sephiroth first, and he asks where Cloud is. Just then, Cloud arrives, and Sephiroth makes more comments on how Cloud can never let go of his darkness. Cloud grows angry, demanding he shuts up, and the two battle. However, Sephiroth says that defeating him will be futile, for Cloud's darkness will always hold him back. Sephiroth's words begin to drag him into the depths of despair, but Tifa once again arrives. Cloud warns her to stay away from Sephiroth, but she refuses, for she wants to help him. Sephiroth says that it is futile, for Cloud will always have darkness within him. Tifa doesn't deny this, but retorts that as long as he is surrounded in light, the darkness within him can't be reached. Tifa attacks Sephiroth as Cloud watches, but when flashes of light blind Cloud, Sephiroth attempts to strike Cloud. However, Cloud successfully parries the attack, and takes a stand between Sephiroth and Tifa. Tifa offers Cloud her light, and though Sephiroth insists that the light doesn't suit Cloud, he begins to glow with a bright light, and the fight resumes. In a final brilliant flash of light, Cloud and Sephiroth rise into the air, then vanish. Goofy asks where Cloud went, and Sora explains that he went to fight a great battle. When Sora asks Tifa what she will do now, she says that she will just have to keep looking and that light is easy to find. Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded Cloud has been shown to travel and battle Heartless with Sora and Hercules, making Kingdom Hearts coded his party member debut. He makes a deal with Hades about visiting other worlds with the Secret of Heroes. He wants to break away from his past and his powerlessness after he takes care of Hercules and Data-Sora. It seems the reason he bargained with Data Hades is so he could become stronger to protect someone. He learned from Sora and Hercules that his true strength comes from his heart when he protects someone; for example blocking one of Data Hades's fireball that is about to hit Sora, and Hercules. On Sora's Team As he's happy being with Aerith, he still does whatever it takes to protect her, even on missions. When not on missions, he relaxes and trains harder to protect Aerith no matter what. 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